


You Can't Save Everyone

by shannie541



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Character Death, Destiel - Freeform, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-26
Updated: 2013-12-26
Packaged: 2018-01-06 04:43:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 619
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1102550
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shannie541/pseuds/shannie541
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A hunt with Dean, Cas, and Sam goes bad. Way bad.</p><p>One-shot</p>
            </blockquote>





	You Can't Save Everyone

A fall breeze stirs the dead leaves around him and Castiel feels Dean shiver in his arms.

“You’re alright, Dean. Sam will be here soon” He doesn’t know why he whispers it because he doesn’t believe it, and for a moment, he fears that Dean won’t hear him. Dean’s body shakes so hard it feels like convulsions from a seizure and Castiel readjusts his hold, hoping to keep him warm. Although, in his gut, he _knows_ Dean’s shakes have more to do with blood loss than the chill night air.

“’m sorry, Cas.” Dean whispers to him, green eyes transfixed to Castiel’s blue.

“You have nothing to apologize for, Dean. You will be fine. You’re always fine.” Castiel presses his hand down harder onto the gash on Dean’s stomach, attempting to stem the blood that seeps through Dean’s shredded skin and Castiel’s fingers. Dean grimaces and tries to squirm away, but Castiel nuzzles his temple affectionately.

When he pulls away, Dean reaches an unsteady hand to cup Cas’s cheek, “You know, don’t you? How I feel?” He inhales and shaky breath and traces his thumb along Cas’s cheekbone. “It wouldn’t feel right to leave without you knowing.”

Cas nods and Dean’s words become his undoing. Tear flow down his face uncheck and the hand he used to card through Dean’s hair stalls before moving to cup the back of the other man’s neck. “Of course I know, Dean. I know you.” Dean smiles at that before a coughing fit overtakes him. The white of Dean’s teeth are stained with blood and Castiel thinks his heart may be stopping, too. He’s sure of it. “This was always my fear, Dean. Be it here or in Purgatory…I can’t save you, not anymore and not without my Grace.”

Dean’s brow furrows as he tries to readjust in Cas’s arms stiffly. “You can’t save everyone, Cas.”

Cas smiles at the familiar words but can feel his stomach bottoming out as Dean appears to lose the struggle to keep his eyes open. “No, Dean. Let me try. Please, just hold on. Sam will be here shortly.”

“’m tryin’, Cas. Ain’t easy to do right now.” Dean pauses and his eyes open again and they are brimming with tears. “I didn’t think I’d die like this again.”

“Then don’t die! Stay awake.”

Dean nods. “Keep talkin’ to me, then.”

“What would you like me to talk about, Dean?”

“I dunno. Tell me a story.”

Cas pauses and raises his eyes to the sky before speaking again. The moon hands off to the side, tucked away behind the layers of trees and the stars shine overhead, listening eagerly as well. He can feel more tears sting behind his eyes and gives only a half-hearted attempt at stopping their fall. Cas’s eyes flick back to Dean’s who is awake ( _thankfully_ ) and watching intently. “When I found you...down _there_...your soul shined so brightly, even after 40 years. It was breathtaking. I held you, the very essence of you, in my hands, and somehow, you managed to shine even brighter; brighter than even the glow of an archangel. It was like you knew me, though you’d never met me. I think that was the moment I fell in love with you, Dean Winchester, without even realizing it. You were the most beautiful thing I’d ever laid eyes upon…”

  
  
Sam arrives through the woods like a thunderstorm, his feet pounding heavily and twigs giving way beneath him. He stops short at the sight of Cas cradling Dean in his arms, body twitching with worry and anticipation. Cas looks up with a tear-stained face and blinks a few times before speaking. “I couldn’t - I can’t save him, Sam.”

**Author's Note:**

> I chickened out at the last minute and couldn't commit to whether or not I could kill Dean off so...I think I left it open ended for those braver than me. :)
> 
> This version differs slightly from the one on ff.net.


End file.
